


An Unexpected Adventure

by Doranwen



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen, Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-15
Updated: 2019-01-15
Packaged: 2019-10-10 12:55:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17426291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doranwen/pseuds/Doranwen
Summary: An Elf, a Dwarf, a girl, a cat, and a tree…





	An Unexpected Adventure

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rosencrantz](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosencrantz/gifts).



"Come, Gimli, one would think that you devoured stone instead of bread. Must we visit every part of the Rammas Echor? It was not breached along its entire length, after all," Legolas pointed out.

"My dear elf, one would think that your heart was pained at missing one day of feasting and rejoicing," Gimli retorted, inspecting a section of the wall by the Harlond docks. "But if you are so starved for green and growing things, we shall walk by the tree over there on our way back to the stables."

It was fortunate that Harlond had escaped much of the destruction that had been wreaked on the Pelennor, for the tree most certainly would not have been standing had orcs camped near the docks. The Elf and Dwarf had no sooner drawn near to it than they spotted a young girl underneath, staring up into it and crying loudly.

"Young lass," Legolas addressed her, "what ails you so?"

"It's Mithrenel!" the girl sobbed. "She's stuck up there!"

"At last, a task more suited to my skills," Legolas commented to Gimli, a trifle smugly. He removed his quiver before leaping into the branches. The tree was a pine, thick with needles, which hid Legolas from sight quickly. "Where is she?" he called.

Gimli moved underneath the tall tree to get a better look. Most certainly there was no child in the tree. There was, however, a grey blob of fur clinging to a high branch. "Is Mithrenel your cat?" Gimli asked the little girl.

"She's my kitten," the girl said between hiccups.

"There, there, lass," Gimli said, patting her gently on her back. "The Elf is very skilled with trees and living creatures. He'll bring her down for you." He thought he could hear a muttered "a _cat?_ " float down, but Legolas did as requested, climbing higher to reach the small animal.

Gimli raised an eyebrow upon hearing a hiss and some muffled sounds from the Elf—surely that was not a mild curse? "See, he has her now," he told the child.

Legolas cradled the cat against his chest in one hand and descended quickly. "Here you go, child," he said, handing the ball of fur to the little girl. Its hair was on end, eyes wide and claws outstretched.

Gimli suppressed a smirk.

"Thank you, sir!" the girl said, smiling and wiping the tears from her eyes with the hand that wasn't clutching the tiny animal.

"Keep her away from the tree next time," Legolas advised.

"I will," she promised, turning to go into the house nearby.

Gimli and Legolas resumed their walk, but Gimli noticed Legolas hiding his right hand. "All right, Elf, show me your hand," he demanded. Legolas slowly pulled it out in front where Gimli could see, and the Dwarf began snickering. The Elf's hand was covered in scratches, no few of them with tiny pinpricks of blood. "At last, you have met a creature you cannot tame!" Gimli said.

"Its claws were like tiny sharp knives," Legolas said with a slightly dour look on his face. "A creature that small should not be so deadly."

Gimli attempted to hold in further snickering. "No leech am I, but these wounds are simple enough," said Gimli. "Let me tend to them first, and then we ought to seek our mounts and return to the City ere they should wonder what befell us." Legolas assented, and Gimli began the task. The corners of his mouth twitched as he thought of the tale this adventure would make. The hobbits in particular, he thought, would enjoy it greatly…


End file.
